It feels a little odd to report that skirts and dresses with tiers are on-trend because the silhouettes, especially tiered skirts, have been around for centuries. And while trends are less important a component of style than they used to be, certain items, looks, colours and combinations do have their fashionable moment. Right now, tiered skirts and dresses are having theirs.
Tiered skirts and dresses visually achieve their tiers by combining multiple horizontal layers one on top of the other. Each layer is wider than the layer above it, thereby creating volume. The longer the tiers and length of the skirt and dress, the more dramatic the volume and the swoosh factor. The collection below shows some examples of tiered dresses and skirts.
The tiers are usually gathered, but sometimes they’re ruffled, which adds even more volume to them. Tiered skirts and dresses can be knitted or woven, any length, and made of all sorts of fibres. The colour and pattern options are endless. They can look casual or dressy depending on the fabric. Tiered skirts and dresses in cotton-rich fibres and lightweight fabrics lend themselves well to warm weather, but cold-weather options do exist. A heavier weight tiered skirt can be styled with tall boots, sweater and topper, and be dead right for cool weather. The right long-sleeved tiered dress can be styled with hosiery, boots and coat and take you into Fall and Winter.
Tiered skirts and dresses capture a range of vibes. Bohemian and western to some, and modern and architectural to others. The silhouettes can also look beachy, youthful, romantic and pretty. Generally, they are very comfortable because of the volume. You can cover the contour of your figure in a tiered dress or skirt, or wear a version with waist definition. Take your pick.
The volume of tiered dresses and skirts varies greatly from style to style. Some styles are very voluminous and ruffly, whereas others are a lot more streamlined. The number of tiers varies too. Some styles have only two, and others have up to ten tiers.
I love tiered dresses and skirts in midi lengths and have a few in my wardrobe. I’m very attracted to how they comfortably move and swoosh as I stride, and how ventilating the dresses feel on a hot Summer’s day. I like the drama of the volume, and how the fabric flops around me when I sit down. The volume feels luxurious and cosy. I adore the pretty and romantic integrity of tiers, and simply wear them with fashion sneakers, and very occasionally sandals, mules and booties. Along with shirt dresses, tiered dresses are my favourite. And I don’t think they will look dated any time soon.
Over to you. What’s your take on tiered dresses and skirts? Do gathered tiers create too much volume for your liking, or do you like the way they move?
